栄養満点！産地メキシコの「豊作」でアボカドが安い「美味しい見分け方」と「うま味アップ」の魔法の組み合わせ【Nスタ解説】｜TBS NEWS DIG

Do you know whether avocados are a vegetable or a fruit? Actually, they're a fruit. Despite being a fruit, avocados are a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes. They're currently quite inexpensive. ■What makes avocados, the "world's most nutritious fruit," so amazing? Junna Yamagata (caster): Avocados are also called "the butter of the forest." Perhaps Japanese people love avocados. The ranking of importing countries for Mexican avocados is as follows: 【Importing Countries for Mexican Avocados】*According to USDA data released April 2025 ●1st: USA ●2nd: Canada ●3rd: Japan Currently, avocados are very cheap in Mexico due to a bumper crop. For example, at Super Celsior Wadamachi store, avocados that cost around 300 yen in October 2025 are now 108 yen as of February 26th. Now, let's look at the nutrients in avocados and how to choose a delicious one. Actually, avocados are not vegetables but fruits, and they can be considered the most nutritious fruit in the world. ▼They contain about five times more dietary fiber than bananas, which helps improve bowel movements. ▼They also contain potassium, which helps eliminate excess salt and helps prevent high blood pressure. In addition, ▼they contain vitamin E, which has strong antioxidant properties, and ▼they contain oleic acid, which is considered a good fat, so it helps to thin the blood. Furthermore, among fruits, avocados contain a lot of glutamic acid, a component of umami, so adding them to dishes enhances the flavor. Combining avocados with tomatoes or cheese, which are also rich in glutamic acid, or combining them with inosinic acid found in meat and fish muscles, will also enhance the umami flavor. ■How to Choose a Delicious Avocado: Pay Attention to Color and the Stem! Yamagata (Caster): So, do you know how to choose a delicious avocado? First, you can tell by the color. ▼Green avocados are not yet ripe, so leave them at room temperature for 3 to 7 days until they are ready to eat. ▼Dark green avocados will ripen in 2 to 3 days at room temperature, and ▼almost black avocados are ready to eat. Next, you can check by touch. Gently press it; if the skin is soft, it's ready to eat. Also, compared to unripe avocados, they will feel rougher. Furthermore, looking at the stem is also important. If there is a small gap between the skin and the stem, it's ready to eat, and this is also a sign of ripeness. As the fruit ripens, moisture is lost, and the stem sinks, creating a gap. Incidentally, putting avocados in a bag with apples or bananas is said to speed up ripening due to the effect of ethylene gas. According to Kikkoman, if an avocado is hard when cut, it will soften if heated in a microwave without covering it with plastic wrap. The guideline is 30 seconds at 600W. Alternatively, soaking it in milk and microwaving it will also soften it. ■Four Tips for Enjoying Avocados Deliciously, for Hot Pots and Desserts! Yamagata Caster: Avocados are versatile, so here are four delicious ways to enjoy them. 【Creamy Avocado Egg】 (1) Cut the avocado in half, scoop out the flesh, and mash it into a paste. (2) Add pizza cheese and a little soy sauce, mix, and return to the skin. (3) Make a hole in the center, crack an egg into it, cover, and steam-fry over medium heat for 10-12 minutes. 【Miso-Based Avocado Hot Pot】 (1) Add avocado, soy sauce, and sesame oil to a miso hot pot and simmer for another 2-3 minutes. 【Avocado and Pea Shoot Meat Rolls】 (1) Wrap avocado and pea sprouts in pork seasoned with salt and pepper. (2) Coat with potato starch and bake. [Avocado Cheesecake] (1) Mix avocado, lime, honey, cream cheese, etc. (2) Add melted gelatin, pour into a mold, and chill for 1 hour. ▼TBS NEWS DIG Official Website https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/ ▼Please subscribe to our channel!    / @tbsnewsdig   ▼Submit information here: "TBS Insiders" https://www.tbs.co.jp/news_sp/tbs-ins... ▼Submit video here: "TBS Scoop Submission" https://www.tbs.co.jp/news_sp/toukou.... #news #TBS #newsdig